As of 2019, 41.8 percent of households in South Africa were female-headed, which amounted to a total of approximately 7.2 million. Provinces with larger portions of rural areas, such as Eastern Cape (50 percent), Limpopo (48.8 percent) and KwaZulu-Natal (47.9 percent), were more likely to share large numbers of female-headed households, whereas rather urbanized provinces, such as Gauteng (33.9 percent), which includes Johannesburg, and Western Cape (37.6 percent), which includes Cape Town, were less likely to have female-headed households in comparison.
Distribution of households headed by females in South Africa in 2019, by province
The source mentioned that, for the period from 2002 to 2019, the data is based on mid-year population estimates produced for 2019 using the 2017 series mid-year population estimates. General Household Survey (GHS) 2017 data as well as historical data files (2002–2016) were re-calibrated to this series with the release of the GHS 2017 in June 2018 in order to maintain comparability over time.
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Statistics South Africa. (December 17, 2020). Distribution of households headed by females in South Africa in 2019, by province [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved June 27, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1114301/distribution-of-female-headed-households-in-south-africa-by-province/
Statistics South Africa. "Distribution of households headed by females in South Africa in 2019, by province." Chart. December 17, 2020. Statista. Accessed June 27, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1114301/distribution-of-female-headed-households-in-south-africa-by-province/
Statistics South Africa. (2020). Distribution of households headed by females in South Africa in 2019, by province. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: June 27, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1114301/distribution-of-female-headed-households-in-south-africa-by-province/
Statistics South Africa. "Distribution of Households Headed by Females in South Africa in 2019, by Province." Statista, Statista Inc., 17 Dec 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1114301/distribution-of-female-headed-households-in-south-africa-by-province/
Statistics South Africa, Distribution of households headed by females in South Africa in 2019, by province Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1114301/distribution-of-female-headed-households-in-south-africa-by-province/ (last visited June 27, 2022)